This invention relates to a method and apparatus for enabling remote installation of printer driver software onto a client processor, the software allowing access to a shared network printer and, more particularly, to use of an E-Mail message to accomplish such an installation.
Enabling a client processor to employ a newly added printer over a network connection is often a complex task. To provide for installation of such a newly added printer, an administrator generally must first configure a print queue on a print server that is coupled to the network. Then, print queues must be configured on each network-connected computer that is to serve as a client for the new printer.
The most common method used today to enable installation of printer driver software onto a network-connected client processor is via manual notification. More specifically, the network administrator verbally informs users of the presence of a new network printer and then manually sets up the new printer driver software on each client work station. This procedure is both tedious and expensive for the administrator, especially if the clients are located at remote sites.
Another prior art method for installation of such software on a network-connected client processor involves the administrator sending an E-Mail message to each of the interested users that describes the process for installation of the new network printer. Each user is then, individually, responsible for such installation on his/her client processor. To accomplish such installation, each user must enter the various configuration parameters for the new printer on the local client processor. This technique is used by the Microsoft xe2x80x9cPoint-and-Printxe2x80x9d procedure. Experience has shown that many users do not understand the process and require assistance to correct errors that have been made during the installation process.
A still further method for enabling a network printer driver software installation on a client processor involves a technique utilized by the Novell Distributed Print System (NDPS). The NDPS procedure requires the installation of specialized client software on each of the user""s machines, which client software enables detection of a message and installation of new network printer driver software. The disadvantage of the NDPS procedure is that it requires an administrator to install the specialized software on each client machine.
Presently, the Microsoft xe2x80x9cWindowsxe2x80x9d operating system (xe2x80x9cWindowsxe2x80x9d is a trademark of the Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, Wash.), includes a procedure which recognizes an xe2x80x9c.exexe2x80x9d extension on a received program handle as an executable program. The Windows operating system can then automatically execute an installation of the .exe program so long as the remainder of the program handle includes any necessary instruction data, such as an xe2x80x9cinstallxe2x80x9d indication.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved method and apparatus for installation of a printer driver program for a newly connected, shared network printer onto a network-connected client processor.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a method and apparatus for enabling a client processor to install printer driver software for a network-connected printer, wherein the user is not required to enter printer-related parameters into the installation program.
It is still another object of this invention to enable a client processor that is connected to a network to automatically install a printer driver for a network printer, wherein the client processor requires no special software to accomplish the installation program.
The method of the invention enables installation of a network printer onto a client processor and employs a server for managing printer installations. Initially, the server receives a printer identifier message from the network printer and then creates an executable installation program using identifier information from the printer identifier message. Thereafter, the server transmits an e-mail message to the client processor, which e-mail message includes an executable printer driver installation program. Upon receipt of the e-mail message, the client processor recognizes the executable installation program and, upon installation thereof, is enabled to utilize the network printer.